Beauty and Wonder - Day 42 - 2018

Just a little beyond the beaten path...

We traveled from Manhattan, Kansas

to St. Louis, where we stayed

right next to the

Gateway Arch National Park...

...the arch dominates the riverfront,

and is much bigger than the photographs indicate...

(Lisa)

The Mississippi River...

(Bill)

Beauty and Wonder - Day 41 - 2018

Just a little beyond the beaten path...

Mostly a travel day.

We drove from Burlington, Colorado to

Manhattan, Kansas.

It poured.

We arrived in town to cloudy skies, but the rain had stopped,

so we hiked on a trail known

as the Linear Trail...

(Bill)

The trail parallels the Big Blue River

and then the Kansas River...

(Bill)

Kansas showed early Autumn colors...

(Bill)

Beauty and Wonder - Day 40 - 2018

Just a little beyond the beaten path...

We drove into Rocky Mountain National Park,

intending to hike The River Trail from the

Green Mountain Trailhead...

...on the drive in we encountered a herd of elk...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

...we then had a great hike along a mountain stream,

around a mountain meadow...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

We left the park,

and drove through a snowstorm

to Eastern Colorado...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

Beauty and Wonder - Day 39 - 2018

Just a little beyond the beaten path...

We had blue skies in the morning...

(Bill)

The road through Rocky Mountain National Park

was closed at the Colorado River Trailhead.

We parked at the trailhead and walked into the park.

It had snowed overnight.

The snow, the clear skies, the Autumn colors,

and the evergreens made for a beautiful hike...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

When we came out from our hike

the road through the park had opened

as far as Milner Pass.

(Lisa)

(Bill)

Beauty and Wonder - Day 38 - 2018

Just a little beyond the beaten path...

For most of the day we relaxed in our room

on Grand Lake, which had an excellent view...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

The morning skies were relatively clear...

 ...but there were clouds by early afternoon...

In the afternoon we hiked the East Shore Trail

along Lake Granby.

We particularly enjoyed

Colorado's Autumn colors...

(Lisa)

(Bill)

The trail afforded views of the mountains...

...the weather made the whole scene moody...